Right royal street party

THERE was dancing in the street as Brighouse got in the mood for a jiving Jubilee.

The clock was turned back to the 1950s as revellers dressed in vintage gear and rocked around the clock to the sounds of JB Goode and the Swing of Things.

Commercial Street was closed to traffic and turned over to a massive street party. The temperature may not have been sizzling but the atmosphere certainly was as party-goers tucked into picnic food, joined in a community sing-song and enjoyed musical entertainment.

There was a display of vintage cars, Irish dancing, donkey rides, games and raffles - and even a royal visit from Jubilee Queen Lilly Williams with her attendants Tamzin McDonald, aged nine, and five-year-old Summer Tankard.

The party and entertainment were organised by Brighouse Business Initiative with grants from the Community Foundation for Calderdale’s Diamond Jubilee Fund. More than 1,500 plates of food and around 2,000 sandwiches were given out with donations going to Overgate and the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.

The revellers included Margaret Whitaker and Andrea Booth dressed in Union Jack flags as ‘Ruby and Tanya’. Andrea said: “The street party is just a brilliant effort for Brighouse. We are big fans of the Queen - she’s been a wonderful monarch It’s lovely to have something to celebrate for a change.”

Mavis Bamforth, aged 84, and Sylvia Ackroyd, 85, also announced their fondness for the Queen by dressing in red, white and blue.

“We are around the same age as the Queen and we are real royalists. There’s a lovely atmosphere at the street party.”

Youngsters were kept entertained at the cave bus and mobile climbing walls provided by ROKT, the Brighouse climbing centre.

Steven Lord, a member of the organising committee, said: “I can hardly believe how successful and amazing a day it has been for Brighouse. The BBI realised some months ago that the people of Brighouse wanted to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and I think we did them proud.

“Our volunteers worked tirelessly to plan the event and many people came up to us to thank us for our efforts.”

Lesley Adams of Brighouse Business Iniative said: “We don’t know exact numbers but estimate that thousands of people packed into Brighouse on Saturday. The street party was a fantastic success and there was real community feel about it.

“So many people got involved and helped to make sure it all went well. It should have finished at 3pm but people were reluctant to leave.”

Hundreds of cakes were provided by people who had baked at home and by Brighouse traders. Commercial Street was decorated with bunting, much of it made by Brighouse schoolchildren.

Brighouse will also be celebrating the arrival of the Olympic torch relay on Sunday, June 24 from 10am-3pm. A section of Commercial Street will be grassed over for mini-Olympic races.